Cost: $199 and up – Schedule a consultation for an estimate based on your project.
Turn-Around Time: Within 7 days – For most jobs. More elaborate projects may take more time, but this will be made clear before we begin.
Not everyone needs to start from scratch. You could very well already have a blog that’s up and running, with a theme you like.
That’s great!
But what if that theme is only almost perfect? That’s where I come in. Schedule a consultation so we can discuss your theme and some of the changes you’d like to make. Some of the changes I can help you with include:
- Color scheme alterations – Want to change the color of text, links, headers, or other elements of your blog? No problem.
- Basic layout adjustments - Things like increasing the width of your sidebar or content area or altering the size of your header.
- Content display alterations - Want to move, edit, or even delete certain parts of how your content is displayed? (Things like the date, tags, categories, or author’s name) Or maybe you’d rather make it so only excerpts appear on your front page? Sounds like fun!
- Personalization – Want to change the titles that display on your category or archives pages? Replace “Archives of…” with something a little more inviting?
- Navigation – Edit the layout and design of the navbar (if you have one). Change it to display categories instead of pages, or vice-versa. It’s your blog, you decide!
These are just a few ideas off the top of my head. I’m sure that if you’ve been working with a specific theme for a while now, you undoubtedly have some ideas of your own on what could make your theme truly fit your needs.
I can help you create a customized version of your theme (called a Child Theme) that will allow you to get exactly what you want out of your current setup, without the hassle or expense of hiring someone to create a fully customized theme for you from scratch – which would cost you at least $1000.
If you like your blog the way it is, but feel like it needs some alterations to reach it’s full potential, I can help.
As a “Thank You” for scheduling a consultation, you’ll also get access to our Private Video Library full of WordPress tutorial videos, and email updates of all the new content here at Welcome To WordPress.
“Fine Print”
Don’t worry – I won’t use tiny letters, and it really isn’t as long as it looks! Please read this section before scheduling your consultation. It’s important, and will only take a couple of minutes.
You know how you’ll occasionally see an ad on TV for some product that looks great, but at the very end a monotone voice lists off a bunch of negative conditions that need to be met so fast that you could never follow them all?
I hate that.
That’s not what we’re doing here. This section will prevent any miscommunication – because there is nothing worse than starting a project with someone, only to find out down the road that you are both on completely different pages. So…
Your Responsibilities:
Your job is really easy (isn’t that the whole point? 
) When we talk on the phone (you can schedule your consultation above), we’ll discuss some of the basics of the project. I’ll need your blog’s URL and the name of the theme you are working with in case it’s a theme I am not already familiar with.
Once you are ready to move forward, we will schedule a Customization Planning Session. At that time, we’ll discuss the project in detail using a screen sharing application, so we can both see the items we are discussing in real time. This streamlines the entire process and prevents confusion.
If you have any requests that are difficult to describe, and you know of a website with something similar to what you are looking for, having those URL’s ready to share during the Planning Session would be helpful.
In order to customize your blog’s theme, I will need FTP access. If you don’t know what that means, don’t worry. I know where to find it, I just might need you to forward me an email from your provider or send me your hosting account username/password. I’ll let you know exactly what I need when the time comes.
Most themes contain text in the footer which identifies both WordPress and the theme being used (see the bottom of this page for an example.) The “Customized by WelcomeToWordPress.com.” text (with a link) will be added in. If your chosen theme does not include such a line, one will be added. It will use the same font, size, and colors so it is only noticeable to someone who is actively looking for information on your site’s design. I’ll make sure it blends in nicely. I promise.
If you have images you would like me to include in your customization, please let me know as early in the process as possible. It is ideal if you can send the images prior to the estimate so I have all of the elements in front of me when we talk. Important: (legal stuff, sorry.) Any images you send me for inclusion in your project must be your own, or you must have been granted the rights/permission to use them by their owner. Neither I, my company (Choose To Be Independent, LLC) or any of it’s affiliates/members are responsible for verifying your rights to the images you ask me to use. If you submit images you do not have the rights to you and you alone are responsible for any penalties or legal action that results.
That’s pretty much it on your end! Once we’ve ironed out all of the details I’ll send you the estimate for your records, and as soon as your payment is processed I’ll get started. Which leads us to…
My Responsibilities:
This is the fun part. I will create a Child Theme based on the theme you are currently using and the items you want altered. Your customizations should be complete within 7 days. If, after discussing your project with you I feel I will need more time, I will let you know before we begin.
Once I know the scope of the changes you need, we will discuss scheduling a Review Session. This will be your chance to look over the customizations to make sure I understood all of your requests and that things are moving in a direction you are happy with.
Some Things That Are Not Included:
Graphics design or creation is not part of the customization process. Images that you supply can be included, but only if they are images that you have the rights to use. Obtaining images you can legally place on your blog is up to you. I can make basic adjustments to your images (such as cropping and resizing), but this must be discussed during the Planning Session. Any additions to the project after your estimate has been prepared may increase the final cost of the project.
Writing content is not included in customization projects. Creating the content for your blog is up to you.
Creating and adding widgets to your sidebar is not automatically included. If you would like me to organize your sidebar(s) for you, we can discuss it during the Customization Planning Session.
Hopefully this makes everything clear so we’re both on the same page. If you have any questions concerning this process, I’ll be more than happy to answer them during your consultation.
"Chad tackled my WordPress problems with exceptional confidence and expertise, yet remained humble, friendly, and positive throughout the entire process. He was an absolute pleasure to work with." 
"If you have WordPress questions, Chad has answers! He is a great resource; very professional yet not too "techie" and so easy to work with. Thanks for your expertise Chad :)"
“Chad did a great job customizing my blog! He really took the time to listen to what I needed and then worked very quickly to make it happen. He went above and beyond to be immediately available and responsive. THANKS!!”